


Any Excuse

by mansikka



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Jealous Magnus Bane, M/M, Pandemonium Club (Shadowhunter Chronicles)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-09-30 18:36:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17229107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Magnus tries to host several meetings at Pandemonium. If only the clientele would keep their hands off Alec while he works...





	Any Excuse

**Author's Note:**

> Hello :) this is from a prompt from Desirae: I can't remember the exact wording right now but it was something like _Magnus is trying to have a meeting in Pandemonium and people keep hitting on Alec, so he pulls him into his lap and works with him there._

"I'll leave you to it."

As Raphael stands, Magnus can barely hear him speaking over the almost-grinding of his own teeth. He tenses at the squeeze of his shoulder and the snort of amusement that accompanies it when Raphael passes behind him, but can't snatch his eyes away from what he's seeing. Growing increasingly incensed the later it gets in the night. Not that time feels like it's passing; this is one of those evenings when every minute seems to stretch to triple its length, and everything Magnus does takes twice as long to accomplish. Normally having Alec here in Pandemonium with him is enough to distract him, yet the sort of distraction he's providing tonight is nothing good. Which isn't Alec's fault at all. Magnus is about to break the arm of the next person who can't keep their hands to themselves.

Alec catches his eye then, raising his glass and offering up a wink across the room. Even the glint of his wedding ring doesn't seem to be enough to tell people to back off. Magnus growls under his breath as a passing Seelie trails a hand down Alec's arm, making their way through the crowd with a simpering smirk over their shoulder that Magnus wants to punch off.

"Magnus. You need to tell those damn werewolves to back off from my store."

Magnus is half up from his seat when he's almost knocked back into it by the force of a warlock slumping down on the couch by his side. He holds in an unkind, unprofessional retort and makes himself count to ten before answering. His smile feels sickly when he turns to look at the warlock, determined not to take out his mood on him. Though it's a hard promise to keep for the urge to turn to check on Alec, only half-listening to his complaint.

"As it happens, Luke is joining me here this evening," Magnus says before the warlock can really work himself up. "Leave it with me. I'll ensure that they trouble you no more."

Magnus leaps up before he can be interrupted again, quickening his pace when he sees Alec laugh and shake his head. The vampire he's speaking to isn't taking the hint that he's not interested, about to lean into Alec's personal space until Magnus appears at his side.

"Hey," Alec says, his eyes dancing with amusement, a touch of exasperation around the edge of them saying he's not enjoying this much at all.

"Alexander," Magnus says, kissing him until he feels the vampire still standing there finally get the message and disappear. "Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to go home? My office at least?"

"I'm fine. Honestly."

Magnus hums in disagreement, only smiling when Alec sneaks his hands beneath his jacket to pull him by the waist until Magnus is half-wedged between his thighs. They are normally so much more discreet than this here in the club. However, Magnus can't resist cupping Alec's face to draw him into a longer kiss hoping the claim he's making will be noticed by anyone who is watching.

"I'm all yours," Alec tells him, snagging Magnus' fingers as he pulls away and turns to leave. Magnus squeezes back then returns to his couch, the crowd in front of him parting as he moves.

He isn't in Pandemonium all that much these days, and it's been a while since he held a meeting here. In fact, tonight he's not even really here for a meeting, as such. It's more of an evening for the people he takes care of or does business with to have the opportunity to approach him in an open setting, any frayed tempers easily soothed by the proximity of the bar.

Magnus is relieved when Luke joins him by dropping down with an audible groan at the other end of the couch.

"Rough day?" Magnus asks, gesturing to the bar for drinks to be brought over.

"No worse than usual."

"Anything I need to be aware of? Or can help with?"

"Unless you can magic me up some way to deal with all the paperwork that just landed on my desk because some damn Mundanes don't know when to cut themselves off," Luke replies, pinching his eyes and looking exhausted.

"Oh?"

"Some office party got out of hand. Spilled over into a bar. Half of 'em ended up being arrested for vandalism or brawling, but because they're all from some—"

Magnus silences Luke with an impatient wave of his fingers, picking out Alec's laughter from behind them and swiveling to look. He's hoping it's to find Alec in company he likes, wondering if perhaps Izzy, Jace, or even Underhill have arrived to spend the evening with him. Fury charges through Magnus' blood when that's not what he finds.

Alec stands with his body language loudly broadcasting his bewilderment, as a man almost Alec's own height smiles and simpers at him, flirting without seeming to take a breath. Magnus watches Alec deliberately brushing hair out of his eyes to flash his wedding ring again yet the guy doesn't pay any attention. Even when he reaches out to grab Alec's waist and Alec knocks his arm away.

"Magnus…"

Again Magnus waves his fingers in irritation at Luke, itching to leap up from the couch. Alec can handle himself, he doesn't need rescuing from anyone. But this evening every person here seems incapable of leaving Alec alone. Magnus loathes feeling possessive yet can't quite get it under control. He jumps up from the couch making his way towards Alec, magic already crackling from his fingers the closer he gets.

"C'mon," the guy is saying to Alec, reaching for his waist again. "Just one dance."

"I'm good. I already told you."

"I—"

"He said he was good."

Magnus can feel Alec holding in laughter behind him as he steps into the space between them and draws himself up to full height. The man looks at him confused for a moment, dropping his eyes to the furious red magic now spiraling down by Magnus' side, stumbling a step back.

"I didn't realize—"

"Get. Out. Of my club," Magnus demands through gritted teeth pointing to the exit, magic still firing from his fingertips as he does. The man's eyes flare wider, backing away entirely with his hands still up. When he turns Magnus might nudge him in the back with a blast of magic that encourages him to keep walking.

"Well that was fun," Alec says, laughing in surprise when Magnus grips him around the waist to tug him closer for a kiss.

"It didn't look like fun."

"Magnus, it's fine."

Magnus doesn't answer, only slots his fingers through Alec's and leads him back to the couch. He drapes his arm around Alec's shoulders pressing him tight into his side. Alec gives him a knowing look, and Luke an amused one, the three of them catching up on each other's news and talking about the few issues they need to resolve.

"You know. I did offer to come here," Alec says once Luke has left, turning to Magnus and resting his hand on his chest.

"You did," Magnus agrees, sweeping his hand up Alec's thigh as he tilts his chin for a kiss. "I wasn't expecting everybody to be quite so… friendly."

"Yeah, well. Must be something in the air."

Alec presses closer and smiles before kissing him, and the familiar sense of all his troubles and concerns begin to fade from Magnus, just for having Alec here. Perhaps they get a little carried away, Alec not-so-discreetly opening Magnus' shirt buttons, and Magnus toying with the hair at the base of Alec's neck as his thumb caresses just behind his ear. 

"Are you sure you want to be here?" Magnus whispers when a loud cough to get his attention reluctantly pulls them apart. "This can't be the most entertaining way to spend your evening."

"I'd rather be home with you," Alec mumbles back, gesturing to the person waiting and half-untucking himself from Magnus' side. Though Magnus keeps a light grip around his shoulders so he can't get too far. 

Another hour passes, Magnus approached by several more people wanting his advice or just to voice their complaints. He's tired of it. Magnus can't wait to be home tucked up with Alec to put all these irritations from his thoughts. He'll deal with them all properly in the morning after he's slept. 

When he returns from his office with a book he's offered to loan out, it's to find Alec with yet more company. There is a woman sat beside him doing all she can to get Alec's attention. When he gets close enough to hear their conversation Magnus holds in a snort of laughter. Alec is apparently turning her attempts to flirt with him into a commentary about animals.

"I can't leave you alone for five minutes," Magnus says in exasperation when he sinks down beside him, arm back around Alec's shoulders and kissing him firmly on the mouth. They both turn to watch the woman walk away in a huff then lean into one another laughing. 

"No. Maybe you shouldn't," Alec agrees, plucking the book from his hand to read the title of then pushing it on to the table in front of them.

"Why did you come here with me tonight, Alexander?" Magnus asks after ordering them more drinks, wrapping his hand around Alec's thigh and squeezing. 

"Because. You've had a long couple of days. You weren't looking forward to this. And you're tired. I just… wanted to be here to make sure you were okay. Give you an excuse to step away from any conversation you didn't want to have if you needed one."

Magnus doesn't think he could smile any harder. He pulls Alec into his lap not caring who sees or has an opinion, intent on conducting any other business he needs to attend to with Alec right here. Alec drapes an arm around his shoulders and leans just enough to pass Magnus his drink, kissing his temple as he settles to get more comfortable.


End file.
